Absolutely!! I am shocked that so many are even questioning it. The H1N1 vaccine is just a strain change (the same process that occurs with reworking the seasonal flu vaccine every year to anticipate the major strains we will see that fall/winter). In fact, H1N1 was going to be included in the seasonal flu vaccine, but they ran out of time. The case fatality rate is 3-fold higher for H1N1 than seasonal flu, which would predict about 100K to 150K deaths in the US alone from H1N1 this season.

This is a no-brainer for us (including my hubby, an ID attending) and our 3 small kids.

Yea, definitely. But even as a health care worker, I'm a relatively low risk health care worker (i.e. I see a low volume of patients and they are mainly young people with musculoskeletal complaints), so I'm not going to be getting on any three hour lines in the snow to get the vaccine. I feel that if there's a limited supply, I don't deserve to receive one of the first vaccines. But when it's being offered widespread, I will definitely get it for me and my daughter.

Already had seasonal flu vaccine, will get H1N1 when available. I see no reason to put my patients at risk and have no real concerns about either vaccine. No side effects from the standard vaccine - I've never had side effects from the flu shot.

I will not go out of my way to have my daughter immunized. She's a healthy fourth-grader. If they offer one or both vaccines at school, or we happen to land in the doctor's office, then fine. If not, that's also fine.

My husband (not a HCW) has also already had the seasonal flu vaccine and I presume will get H1N1 if it's offered to him - he gets weekly allergy shots and usually has his immunizations along with those. His call, though.

I'll get the vaccination, but like Jay, above, will not go out of my way to have the kids done...That said, I DID supply all of youngest's teachers with jugs of hand sanitizer for their classes and instructions to use liberally!A

My kidlet (18 months) has already had the seasonal flu shot, and will get the H1N1 as soon as it is available here for his age group. I have gotten the seasonal flu shot, but I am WAY down on the priority list for H1N1, so we'll see. If I can get it, I will.

Fizzy, actually, just by virtue of being a health care worker, you're first on the list in terms of priority for the H1N1 vaccine. It's not just about protecting you, it's also about protecting patients who will be coming into contact with you. Or, if you work in a hospital, the patients who will be potentially coming into contact with the door handles and elevator buttons that you're leaving your germs on. And it's a misconception that young healthy people are somehow safe from H1N1... the highest infection incidence is among people aged 5-24 years.

There was an outbreak in one of our hospitals last year. Embarrassingly, it was traced back to one of the doctors.

Absolutely! Vaccinating myself and my 1 yo (13mo?) as soon as it's available. Recommending vaccinations to all family and friends w/ underlying health conditions first and for everyone overall. And to my young and at risk patients. I spend a lot of time trying to educate my patients about misconceptions regarding vaccinations.

I will eventually get around to getting the regular flu shot and possibly the H1N1 vaccine. My roommate is a health care provider and I work with children in a low income neighborhood. Between the two us, we are exposed to a lot of germs.

I also don't understand the hesitancy - will get it as soon as I can get my hands on it for myself and for children. Not fooling around with a pandemic with a propensity for children and young adults. The public hesitancy is very concerning from a public health standpoint.

I have never had a flu shot, and I have also never had the flu. I am currently 32.5 weeks pregnant. My only hesitations are when I could get the vaccine (i.e. if I get slightly sick from it, I would like to heal before the baby is delivered) and the low amount of studies done on it. Any advice for very pregnant women?

KC sent me an email with some information. So - here is one follow-up: are you going with the nasal/live virus or with the shot/inactive virus. From what I have heard, the active/nasal form is not recommended for pregnant women, and it is what is available. The hospital I will deliver in has yet to receive their doses for their staff even yet. My mom has bad reactions to the regular flu shot, so that is also a concern for me. But, I want to do what is best...

I'm encountering skepticism as I'm talking about H1N1 vaccine with parents & even with my own staff. The same wariness is also reflected in Tara Parker-Pope's NYT blog: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/why-are-we-afraid-of-the-new-flu-vaccine/?pagemode=print Parker Pope cites a recent University of Michigan poll that says 60% of parents surveyed won't vaccinate their children for H1N1. I believe this is a symptom of larger skepticism about healthcare reform - people are nervous about changing the system and the introduction of a "novel" vaccine is part of that wariness.

So far, I've vaccinate myself and two kids for seasonal flu without problems just like we do yearly. Hope to do the H1N1 as long as I can get my hands on it - due to arrive next week.

Have seen/treated lots of miserable kids - local high school had 300+ absent yesterday out of 1500. Have not had to admit anyone. Yet. As the weather cools, I forsee this virus infecting younger age groups. Preventing 1 death from influenza is worth my efforts and time to talk to parents about vaccination.

As a pregnant, healthcare worker in NYS (notice the trifecta there ;-) ) I will absolutely be getting the H1N1 as soon as it's available. As for my family, I'll be signing them up as soon as I can. I have a 2.5yo and baby-to-be comes in December, so I'm gonna try to get enough for the whole house!!

The one comment that was deleted was clearly not from a mother in medicine. The tone was disrespectful: honesty is fine if it is reasoned and civil. You don't have to agree but you have to be respectful.

I'm not in medicine, but I got the annual flu vaccine for myself last tuesday and as soon as they offer the H1N1 one i'm going to get it too. In my profession, i cant afford to GET sick or more importantly to get OTHERS sick. So, imo, better safe than sorry.

I am a little concerned about the nasal vaccine as opposed to the injectable vaccine. I would prefer to get a shot than to get it up my nose as i am prone to respiratory infections already and introducing something to my airway that is already compromised would probably NOT be a good idea.

Just a clarification: it is totally okay to comment and not be a mother in medicine! Out of over 1,000 comments on this blog, less than a handful have ever been deleted - and only because they contained profanity or were downright offensive (or were spam).

Definitely. I'm an OB/Gyn resident, and we're seeing H1N1 every day. I was on my MICU rotation two months ago when we had our first real shocking experience with H1N1 -- a patient who became very ill at term, took a giant turn for the worse immediately post-partum, and ended up intubated on my ICU watch. I did her chest compressions when she coded. I'm getting vaccinated so I don't infect any of my patients.

I just got my first seasonal flu shot in 8 years today. My hospital is putting into place new corporate policies that mandate everyone be vaccinated or else wear a mask for the duration of flu season while at work. Blah. My experiences several years ago were that I got sick shortly after getting the vaccine, so I refused the opportunity until now.

When I went in today, I got the third to last dose. The doses have been coming in batches, a bit at a time, from the manufacturer. The H1N1 shots just arrived, but a small quantity, so the ER and L&D nurses are getting it first, along with the respiratory therapists. ICU nurses are somewhere down the list.

I discussed this with my husband just last night about whether to vaccinate the kids. He's an engineer with years in the pharmaceutical industry, so I'd say that between the two of us we're pretty well educated. Anyway, since our kids are healthy and have no underlying chronic concerns, I will not be stampeding to the health department to stand in line for two hours like many people did last week in our area. If/when it becomes more widely available, we may choose to. We have never gotten seasonal flu vaccines for them either, and so far not had issues with it. For the record, they are otherwise fully immunized.

It's a highly personal choice. The bigger deal is for people to learn proper hygiene AND to know to stay home when they're sick!

I would be getting it if I could find a place to get it. If we'd had it 2 weeks ago, today might have gone differently ...H1N1 is now in my household. Thankfully with the son who has insurance rather than the adult son without it and not either my husband or I who have quite risky underlying conditions ... keeping house sanitized and tamiflu for sick son, hubby and myself.

I will absolutely be vaccinating my 2.5 yo daughter. As a PA who teaches & is in clinic, I don't want to bring anything home to her, and she's already at enough risk being in daycare. Total shortage of H1N1 in our area though...trying to be patient!

Mothers in Medicine is a group blog by physician-mothers, writing about the unique challenges and joys of tending to two distinct patient populations, both of whom can be quite demanding. We are on call every. single. day.

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